Second Hand Skateboard Buying Guide
Second Hand Skateboards
If you are looking for cheap new skateboards check out our skateboard sale section otherwise stay on this page to learn more about how to pick the right second hand skateboard for you.
Here at Henrietta Skate we don't shy away from selling second hand skateboards because we realize that sometimes that is the only way to get good quality skateboards for a cheap price. Currently we are the only skate shop in Manly on Sydney's Northern Beaches that sell second hand skateboards and work hard to make sure we get the best quality skateboards for the cheapest possible price. The benefit to getting a second hand skateboard is not just to save you a bit of cash but it also allows people who wouldn't normally get a chance of learning how to skate an opportunity to get on the board and try something new. Not to mention the ethics of reusing a product instead of buying new. Enjoy the guide below and learn what you can about used skateboards and ways to get great skateboard deals.
Used Skateboards.
Second Hand Skateboard Decks: If you find a second hand skateboard or cheap skateboard for sale from a questionable source one thing to look into is the quality and the wear and tear of the deck. A good quality skateboard deck should be made of 100% Canadian hardrock maple and should be around 7 ply wood thick. It's very difficult to find the source of the wood when buying a second hand skateboard however that doesn't mean you can't tell the quality of a skateboard deck without knowing it's origins. The first way of testing a second hand skateboard deck is looking for any signs of water damage. If a skateboard deck has been subjected to water before in either a large quantity or frequently the board will become water logged and lose a large amount of its "pop". With a loss of pop you will find it hard to get your board in the air when doing tricks. When looking for water damage look at the grip tape and the bolts to see if there are any signs of rust or discoloration. Another thing to keep an eye out for when you see a used skateboard for sale is the thickness of the wood. A good quality skateboard deck should be relatively thin even though it is made up of 7 pieces of plywood. The average size for a good quality deck is around 90mm and shouldn't exceed 100mm.
Used Skateboard Wheels: There is almost nothing worse than having cheap skateboard wheels on a used or second hand skateboard. This is something that the Henrietta's crew can't stress enough. If you were thinking of getting the old K-Mart special and thinking of getting a better one for your child or yourself once you start getting good you're going to waste your money if the skateboard you are buying has a plastic wheel. Hard plastic wheels are incredibly difficult to skate on and have a terrible energy transfer. If you are learning how to skate you will need a good set of polyurethane wheels. Polyurethane wheels will continue to roll even after you have stopped pushing. They are the most important part of the skateboard in terms of how fast and smooth your skate will be. It's quite difficult to tell if a wheel is plastic or urethane and we recommend two ways of testing the quality. Firstly push the skateboard along a smooth surface. If the skateboard only moves around a meter and then comes to a dead stop quickly its probably a plastic wheel. The other test which is only handy when buying cheap wheels on their own is the rebound test. Drop the wheel so it bounces on its outer edge on the ground. If the sound is high pitched and sounds hollow its probably not the best quality. If the wheel bounces back wheel an sounds fuller its probably a better quality wheel.
Second Hand Skateboard Trucks: Defining a usable and unusable skateboard truck is one of the simpler processes in testing the quality of a second hand skateboard. Good quality skateboard trucks are also normally the most expensive part of your skateboard so when purchasing a second hand skateboard make sure the trucks pass all of the tests before even considering it as an option. The first and most important thing to test on a second hand or cheap skateboard truck is that it has a fixed kingpin. The way you can test this is by flipping your skateboard over so you are looking at the graphic underneath, pressing hard on the wheel with your hand and seeing if the kingpin (big bolt in the middle of your truck) shifts as you press down. If the kingpin stays straight as the rest of the truck moves your onto a winner! A fixed kingpin means (assuming everything else is working) that you should be able to turn your skateboard. If your kingpin swivels with the rest of the truck that cheap skateboard will end up being a money trap and you should leave it before it ends up costing you more than its worth. After testing your truck kingpin you can check the pivot cups and bushings to see if they need replacing. If you do need to repair your skateboard bushings or pivots cups this isn't the end of the world you can pick some up for anywhere between $5-$20 online or from your local skate shop or us if you live in the Northern Beaches of Sydney.
Used Skateboard Bearings: Skateboard bearings come in a huge range of qualities and rating systems. It is difficult to tell the quality of a used skateboard bearing without knowing how old it is or where it came from so it's best to just consider two things when checking a set of skateboard bearings. Firstly you want to make sure that the bearings are the right size for the skateboard. All skateboard bearings should be universally 8mm however some cheap skateboard brands don' know that so sometimes the make bearings that fit in the wheel but are loose on the axle. If that is the case your ride will be slow and bumpy. The other thing to consider is how rusty and old the bearings look. If the bearings are showing signs of rust it means they are probably going to break or get really slow soon. If that is the case but the rest of the skateboard looks good and the price is right go for it. Bearings are one of the cheaper parts of a board and you can get them replaced from us in Manly, through our online store if you live in Australia or from your local skate shop if your from another country.
If you live in Manly Vale, Dee Why, Mona Vale or any other part of Sydney come in to see us in and try out a couple of second hand boards for sale. If you don't live close by but live in Australia you don't have to miss out you can email us at info@henriettaskate.com.au and we can send you some photos of the current used skateboard models for sale.